How to Declutter in 10 Easy Steps
I come from a family of pack rats! I inherited the clutter gene! That means I tend to hang on to stuff - clothing, printed material, books, kitchenware, you name it! I realize that we all tend to keep some significant to us"stuff" - some of this "stuff" I am thankful I held on to, but other things I have no business still being in possession of!
If you don't know where to start, here are 10 steps to make your decluttering task not seem so overwhelming.
- Be in the right frame of mind to get rid of things. Adopt a minimalist mindset. Remember to stop working on your decluttering effort when you tend to question and hold on to things.
- If you wake up at 3 AM with insomnia, try cleaning out a drawer or closet.
- Get rid of things that need to be glued back together ( this includes refrigerator magnets and legs on collectible figurines.) If you did not take the time to fix it within the first week and stuck it in a drawer, it will work its way to the back and be forgotten.
- Get rid of plastic containers or lids that don't have mates.
- Recycle clothing that you have not wore in a year.
- Survey your garden and if you have a surplus of empty flower pots, plant them and brighten up your yard or give them away.
- Reorganize and clean out your garage on a quarterly basis.
- If your home does not have library shelves, sell books you don't need on Half.com
- Regift items that are brand new and unopened, when appropriate.
- If you are paying money for a storage unit, try to evaluate whether or not it is really worth paying a monthly rent for the value of the stuff inside.
